Am I not understanding something here? Why the hell are some of you all doom and gloom and making such a huge deal out of nothingness? Now all of a sudden the Wings are not making it past the first round eh?

I know we all wanted to acquire someone for the second line, but my god it wasn't a necessity. It wasn't something that HAD to be done, otherwise Holland would of made something happen. And I know I was one that was growing rather impatient today, but I'm always like that just due to the fact that I love to see new players on our team.

Fact of the matter is, this Wings team is a BETTER team than last years. Yeah that's right. Read it again, let it process through your brain, and then maybe some of you will get it.

I highly doubt scoring is going to be an issue come Playoffs. You know Flip, Huds, and even Sammy are going to heat up eventually. You just know it. Then of course you have Homer, Dats, Hank, and then Cleary coming back *which is huge* and Mule can score as well. Then you have D-Mac, Maltby, Drake, Downey..etc. I have a feeling Mac will have an impact. Call me crazy but that's my gut feeling.

As for grit, and not being able to hang with the big boys like the Ducks/Sharks, last season at the deadline we added Calder & Bertuzzi to a really 'soft' Wings team, correct? Now correct me if I'm wrong, but did those two do much in the post season or not? Because I'm thinking not. Bertuzzi had his flashes of good play, but with his injuries and such, he never really came around. Calder was awesome in the last few weeks of the season, but come playoff time for whatever reason he didn't do anything. Funny how we acquired the both of them for grit and whatever else they were suppose to bring to the table, yet it was the guys that were on the team ALL season that were the ones who stepped it up. It was Flip, Franzen, Datsyuk, Hank, Cleary, etc that were scoring those huge goals when needed. It was also those guys and the rest of the team who upped their physical play big time. They didn't let ANYONE or any team push them around. Half the time they were the ones who initiated the physical play. With or without Calder/Bertuzzi, the Wings were going far last year. Same goes for this season. There's no difference, only this time they've added Drake, Downey, Mac, and Stuart. All whom are physical, and play really well in the playoffs. *Well not so much Aaron, but you get my point* Believe it or not, this Wings team is grittier than the '07 one, and I have no doubt in my mind that they are going to go far this season. They have all the talent in the world to do so, and you know they want it badly.

Excuse me while I prepare my response to your post. I guarantee it will be well-worded, articulate, and clear in meaning.

Edit: It's ready. Here it is:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! HAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA!

Best post of the day!!

"The more I know about people - the better I like my dog." - Mark Twain

"A wise man once told me, ‘Don’t argue with fools. Cause people from a distance can’t tell who is who'." Jay Z, Takeover

"When I was looking for a captain, I wanted a guy with the Red Wings crest tattooed on his chest," said former Detroit coach Jacques Demers, who named Yzerman captain in 1986. "Steve Yzerman was that guy."

“Told him if he wasn't ultra-competitive he couldn't come here. If he didn't bring it every day he couldn't come here, because he was going to hate it if he didn't, dislike the coach and dislike playing here.

“It's real straightforward. If you don't do it right, you're not happy here." Babcock

We have the best team in the NHL when we don't have injuries, but we do have INJURIES and we needed to fix them with new players which Holland did not do as promised. That being said I agree with you guys that we needed to add a scorer like a Satan or a Hossa. I have lost faith in Holland and I hope that the door hits him in the ass when he steps down/or gets fired as GM for another 1st round playoff exit. The farthest I see this current team making it this year is the 2nd round thats it. Holland needs to step down as GM.

THIS TEAM has had it's best shot to win the cup in years, and it would of helped to get a top 6 forward onto this team but Holland lied to the fans again. As much as it hates me to say this, we will not be a REAL playoff team come April. We are soft, we get pushed around. The time to add a elite forward was now and we didn't do it so now we will pay the price for it. If Holland thinks McCarty is some sort of Hockey God and Stuart is the 2nd coming of Scott Stevens then kudos to him, but the real REALITY of the situation is very gloomy and grim. It is a sad day to be a Wings fan today. Thanks Kenny Holland, thanks a lot buddy.

I actually feel sorry for the fans in the Detroit area who have to pay out the butt to see the Wings lose another 1st round playoff series.

If all you have to say is gloom and doom, then why don't you walk down to the Gulf and throw yourself in. Nobody will miss your whiny butt. Or maybe you could apply for the Wings GM job when Holland does leave, since you know so much on how to do it. But, the first option would be better, we don't need "fans" like you. Once the injury bug is gone and everybody is back, the Wings will be fine. Trouble with you is you think that Holland should just go out and grab every available player on the market, no matter what the cost.

Am I allowed to wish AIDS on people like the OP here? If not, then I won't.

This team is made of awesome and win when it's healthy, and they have plenty of time to get there. I don't think anyone can take 4 of 7 against a healthy Detroit team come playoffs. Stuart was a good signing, and Hossa would have been a better one, but we just couldn't offer what Pittsburgh did. Oh well, the Wings will still be hoisting the cup come June.

Say whatever you guys want to say to make you feel better inside. Defend Holland all you want, call me a fair weather fan or whatever I don't care. When we lose in the playoffs which I can clearly see a 1st round exit but more likely a 2nd round exit, don't start bitching about Holland cause you had your chance to do it right here and now. Oh and be sure to bring this thread back to throw crow in my face if we actually win something this year but I highly doubt it. This team has no 2nd line scoring, and with guys like Maltby, Draper, Downey, McCarty, Kopecky, Hudler, Sammy, and Drake on our team...things all of a sudden don't look so well in the scoring department. When ZDH don't score, we don't win. That's the bottom line and the Anaheim Ducks know this already cause they won the Cup last year.

Think for yourself. Question authority. Throughout human history as our species has faced the frightening, terrorizing fact that we do not know who we are or where we are going in this ocean of chance, it has been the authorities, the political, the religious, the educational authorities who attempted to comfort us by giving us order, rules, regulations, informing, forming in our minds their view of reality. To think for yourself you must question authority and learn how to put yourself in a state of vulnerable, open mindedness, chaotic, confused vulnerability to inform yourself.

Say whatever you guys want to say to make you feel better inside. Defend Holland all you want, call me a fair weather fan or whatever I don't care. When we lose in the playoffs which I can clearly see a 1st round exit but more likely a 2nd round exit, don't start bitching about Holland cause you had your chance to do it right here and now. Oh and be sure to bring this thread back to throw crow in my face if we actually win something this year but I highly doubt it. This team has no 2nd line scoring, and with guys like Maltby, Draper, Downey, McCarty, Kopecky, Hudler, Sammy, and Drake on our team...things all of a sudden don't look so well in the scoring department. When ZDH don't score, we don't win. That's the bottom line and the Anaheim Ducks know this already cause they won the Cup last year.

oh give me af****** break. i'm sure u were singing holland's praises when he signed rafalski and made some of the other amazing deals he has done in the past. if we can only win when dzh score then how the hell did we win all those games earlier this season? there are other guys on this team with 20+ goals. and btw we totally would have beat anaheim last year if homer had changed the angle on his stick slightly when he slid a puck behind jsg that just happend to slip all the way through the crease in game 5. i can attest to this as i was at the game and it happened right in front of me. we outplayed them the whole series except for game 6. they caught breaks and thats the way hockey is. look at the goal calgary scored, and the first goal vancouver got. those were crap goals but thats what happens.

NEWSFLASH: When your top 4 defensemen are injured, IT'S HARDER TO WIN GAMES!

When this team is healthy (and the looks of them getting healthy in the near future is good I think) they were consistently winning. I don't see why it can't happen in the playoffs. This roster after the trading deadline, after everybody gets healthy again, IS NEARLY THE SAME AS THE ONE THAT WAS WINNING MORE OFTEN THEN NOT!

I swear, some people in here need to get a grip on their emotions or check themselves into a mental hospital for anger or depression.

oh give me af****** break. i'm sure u were singing holland's praises when he signed rafalski and made some of the other amazing deals he has done in the past. if we can only win when dzh score then how the hell did we win all those games earlier this season? there are other guys on this team with 20+ goals. and btw we totally would have beat anaheim last year if homer had changed the angle on his stick slightly when he slid a puck behind jsg that just happend to slip all the way through the crease in game 5. i can attest to this as i was at the game and it happened right in front of me. we outplayed them the whole series except for game 6. they caught breaks and thats the way hockey is. look at the goal calgary scored, and the first goal vancouver got. those were crap goals but thats what happens.

Of all the excuses we've come across, this has to be the best one yet. Wow, ive truly heard it all now... I dont even think chrisdetroit used that one!

Am I not understanding something here? Why the hell are some of you all doom and gloom and making such a huge deal out of nothingness? Now all of a sudden the Wings are not making it past the first round eh?

I know we all wanted to acquire someone for the second line, but my god it wasn't a necessity. It wasn't something that HAD to be done, otherwise Holland would of made something happen. And I know I was one that was growing rather impatient today, but I'm always like that just due to the fact that I love to see new players on our team.

Fact of the matter is, this Wings team is a BETTER team than last years. Yeah that's right. Read it again, let it process through your brain, and then maybe some of you will get it.

I highly doubt scoring is going to be an issue come Playoffs. You know Flip, Huds, and even Sammy are going to heat up eventually. You just know it. Then of course you have Homer, Dats, Hank, and then Cleary coming back *which is huge* and Mule can score as well. Then you have D-Mac, Maltby, Drake, Downey..etc. I have a feeling Mac will have an impact. Call me crazy but that's my gut feeling.

As for grit, and not being able to hang with the big boys like the Ducks/Sharks, last season at the deadline we added Calder & Bertuzzi to a really 'soft' Wings team, correct? Now correct me if I'm wrong, but did those two do much in the post season or not? Because I'm thinking not. Bertuzzi had his flashes of good play, but with his injuries and such, he never really came around. Calder was awesome in the last few weeks of the season, but come playoff time for whatever reason he didn't do anything. Funny how we acquired the both of them for grit and whatever else they were suppose to bring to the table, yet it was the guys that were on the team ALL season that were the ones who stepped it up. It was Flip, Franzen, Datsyuk, Hank, Cleary, etc that were scoring those huge goals when needed. It was also those guys and the rest of the team who upped their physical play big time. They didn't let ANYONE or any team push them around. Half the time they were the ones who initiated the physical play. With or without Calder/Bertuzzi, the Wings were going far last year. Same goes for this season. There's no difference, only this time they've added Drake, Downey, Mac, and Stuart. All whom are physical, and play really well in the playoffs. *Well not so much Aaron, but you get my point* Believe it or not, this Wings team is grittier than the '07 one, and I have no doubt in my mind that they are going to go far this season. They have all the talent in the world to do so, and you know they want it badly.

I am done now. Proceed the bitching, and useless whining.

How do we know that? Surely not from experience. There's no reason to think that any of those players are consistent 2nd liners either in the regular season or in the playoffs. You sound like Holland's PR representative making such remarks

This "current team" of ours got us unto first place with a steady asswhooping of any team we faced (besides the last 10 games). Relax you buncha drama queens. We'll be healthier by playoffs, and we'll be ready. Be a true fan, and not a spoiled one. At least we're not Kings fans!

I have to agree with a lot of you, that this team can definitely win the cup this year. The only thing I can see people on this forum are either forgetting, or just pretending to forget, is that the Red Wings did start losing games that they shouldn't have, and started playing a little worse then normal before the top 4 D-men got injured. I understand every team has it's slumps, and thats perfectly acceptable, but there isn't really a need to blame the entire slump on injuries.

If you look at some of the past games, like Stars & Avs, even with injuries at the time, they still played better then when they were all healthy and losing, at the start of the slump. The injuries is just an excuse.

If we bought a rental player like we did with Bert last year then we isk not signing him and then giving up young super stars and the rental. Bad move. TSN analysts spent some time this morning making fun of Holland for trading Matthias last year. We lost Bert, draft picks and a young star who is turning out to be an excellent player and could one day be an NHL star. Bert got us 3 points in the playoffs and did not show any more heart then Lang.

Do we really want to sell our future to get a rental who gives up on us. I am happy Holland picked up a decent big defensemen to help us down the stretch but showed belief in our young stars up front. They all have potential to step up and be the second line scoring that we wanted to get today,,, no farm selling required.

I have to agree with a lot of you, that this team can definitely win the cup this year. The only thing I can see people on this forum are either forgetting, or just pretending to forget, is that the Red Wings did start losing games that they shouldn't have, and started playing a little worse then normal before the top 4 D-men got injured. I understand every team has it's slumps, and thats perfectly acceptable, but there isn't really a need to blame the entire slump on injuries.

If you look at some of the past games, like Stars & Avs, even with injuries at the time, they still played better then when they were all healthy and losing, at the start of the slump. The injuries is just an excuse.

Thank you for that. It's good to see that someone here actually has enough memory not to make blind excuses about injuries when this team struggled even before all that.

Everyone is quick to point to the injuries as a reason for the losing streak. Scary truth is, though, they were not playing well BEFORE the injuries.

What bugs me about today is that we kept hearing how they kept cap space to use at the deadline. Brad Stuart and Darren McCarty are not what I had in mind when they said that. Maybe they should have a couple goals given to them in the playoffs since they will finish the year about 4 million under that damn salary cap. (btw, how would a healthy Bertuzzi look right now? Because that's how much he's making this year).

How do we know that? Surely not from experience. There's no reason to think that any of those players are consistent 2nd liners either in the regular season or in the playoffs. You sound like Holland's PR representative making such remarks

Right. And there is no reason to think that you'd have anything positive to ever say about the Wings.Wanna make a bet on Flip & even Sammy? I'd be more than willing to.